Freedom fighters, or terrorists? - Page 2

I disapprove of suicide bombing no matter the target. If someone is not only willing to die for their cause, but actually WANT to die for their cause, so that dying almost is there cause, then there is something wrong them, in my opinion.

Many suicide bombers do what they do because their families are promised money after they die. They figure it's better for their families if they blow themselves up and take other with them.

Don't you think there's a better solution to that problem?

Then again, some are just fanatics.

although I disliked the original statement I had to accept the commonly held definition of terrorism . . . n.
1) the use of violence and threats to imtimidate or coerce, esp. for political purpose
2) the state of fear so produced
3) government or resistance to government by means of terror.
looking at these defined I can see that terrorist (3. US) having used terrorism (1 & 2) should accept that terrorist (3. them) for what is the truth
DisBelief: I remember my father laughing at the foolishness of people building 'fall-out shelters'. After all living in the flat lands of Florida an atomic bomb would send flood water over the state and their shelters would become 'drowning pools'.
Of course that was before we began to realize the catastraphic long-term effects of rediation, etc. on the environment! How long has the USA been terrorizing it's own citizens and the rest of the World?

First, I find it interesting that you folks are arguing about the fact that you agree that a stereotype is being placed on muslims as terrorists. I don't agree, butIi do see your point about how that can be dangerous. And Decius, aren't you the Canadian who won't defend his country, or himself, when it comes to where you are from, and the validity that information has on your being able to tell Americans how wrong they are for being right and moral? If I get an answer I'll be surprised.

As for the argument about terrorism from mr cturtle, or miss cturtle, it sounds to me that you were born just in time to become a flower child of the sixties and seventies. And that you want to spread your love and peace through out the world through the use of non violence. The unfortunate reality of that blissfull scenario is that everything is violence these days and until the end of time man will war with one another. It is naive to believe that everyone involved in every conflict will choose to work things out peacefully. It would be wonderful, I agree, but very unlikely to ever happen in our lifetimes or our children's, children's lifetimes.

Since we can't stop violence completely, we can only hope to harness it so peace can be worked toward after the removal of those who would impede the process of peaceful negotiation. It is unfortunate that anyone must die, but that is a nasty truth of the world we live in. We cannot change it. And that is sad. ( I say "we" meaning mankind not the U.S.) What we can do is educate ourselves about violence...all types and all natures of violence. Whether it is called terrorism, rebellion, freedom fighting, or murder. Its all violence.

The internet has produced some info I'd like to share. Just go to Yahoo or another search engine and type in the word terrorist.
You will find countless sites. 100s of thouusands. Type in Muslim terrorists and you will find 314,000 links, Irish terrorists produces 83,300 links, Russian terrorists has 338,000 links, S. American terrorists has 370,000 links, British terrorists has 379,000 links, African terrorists has 189,000 links, and American terrorists has 974,000 links. Yeah... I was surprised too about the last one there. But these are articles, chat rooms, organizations, and miscillaneous info concerning these words. Not all of those are events or news. So just that little research job turned up over a million bits of info about a subject we don't like to talk about. So maybe instead of squabbling about the definition of a word, or the stereotyping of a people, or the pursuit of who is responsible for the most death, we should be responsibly looking for ways to use our, once abused, power to get rid of those who would murder human beings. No matter what definition is used or term is applied. We should be eliminating threats to civilians of all countries and societies.

And Decius...do you really respect those who foolishly and cowardly strap explosives to their bodies and blow up bus fulls of innocent civilians? Because losing some one close to you should not cause you to lose rational thought. If your mother dies in a terrorist attack are you going to fly to the country of the attacker's origin and board a bus strapped with dynamite and blow yourself and others to kingdom come? Your statement has made that a valid question...so don't hide behind a double standard.

Tanker My point is that as many point out that those calling themselves 'Christian' Have been murdering others 'In the Name of Christ' for centuries. BUT the Truth (Jesus, Christ) and the Way never taught nor practiced such a thing. So they have made a LIE of Christ! The Truth is not in them nor are they in the Truth (Christ). Is it no wonder that people stopped beleiving in GOD, when government and religion alike condon deciet, lies, stealing and murder?
To begin with few of those who came to the New World did so for reasons of some religious conviction, unless you take the worship of Mammon (Love of Money,power & property as a religion. Jesus didn't didn't teach the Right of Choice, Jesus taught making the Right Choice (distinction between them).
That to a large part the USA has terrorized the world with the A-bomb since the W.W. 2. I fought in Nam so don't be handing out any propaganda that we were there to help the people fight for their independence. If you truely beleive in freedom of choice then you would respect the right now to live as you do.
Who in Hell died and made the USA (Bush) God of this World? If the US wasn't forcing It's own wilfulness upon others then perhaps they would not be so willing to blow the Hell out of themselves and others. You back someone into a corner than you had better accept that they are going to put up a fight for their rights and freedom to live as they choose.
Decius, I would not doubt there is more to it than what the government has admitted and they have already admitted to lying outright to promote War with Iraq. For what ? To depose a tyrant? Who supported the tyrant king of Iran? As long as people are willing to accept lies and propaganda to justify their actions then the World will continue to go to hell in a handbasket! This country promoted the Cold WAR and the proliferation of nuclear weapons which are in the truest sense 'terrorism'.

cturtle...first I want to thank you for serving in Vietnam. Then I want to ask if you now believe yourself to have been a murderer while you served in Vietnam? I agree that Christ is the way, but evil will not cease to exist until His return. Should we not try to remove the evil we supported so many years ago? Or should we pull back and watch the country destroy itself on the news?

And we're not talking about a crusade here...no matter what poorly worded speech comes from the lips of our less than adequately written for president. We are talking about trying to remove the problems we started so long ago. Is it not a person's duty to apologize for his/her actions and try to make amends? You tell me. Apparently now that you have fought for this country you can shed some light on the secret answer that no one is able to find, but so many have as a solution to terrorist threats, from any country in the Middle East, not just Iraq, other than war or armed conflict.
Are all the movies true, about how in every war the U.S. has fought in, that we have become baby killers and rapists and murderers? or is that just a load of crap? I don't know what else the U.N. or the world could do other than enforce the resolutions they made to begn with. 1441 said that force could be used to settle the situation there in Iraq, but no one had the balls or the will to do it. Maybe we should look further into the Oil for Food program that the French made so much money on...and why that might be a reason for their lack of will in letting US taking out an evil regime that is our fault for being in power. Or maybe we could look at how France sold nuclear reactors to Iraq, a country not allowed to have such things by U.N. edict. How might that have effected the French decision to oppose the war?

I understand you have fought and seen terrible scenes of war...and i thank you for serving your fellow countrymen in that way... but tell me why all of a sudden the country you hail from and fought for is so hated in your eyes. Are you still a citizen? Do you still live within the U.S. and pay taxes?
I just want some clarification as to how the U.S. is to handle those who kill our civilians and destroy our property and kill each other if we don't wipe them from the earth. Should we all put guns to our heads and make the muslims and terrorists happy by pulling the trigger? Or is there a proactive way to fight without fighting?

I do believe that Vietnam was a waste of life and time and money... but I do not believe that history would have allowed it to be avoided. Kennedy had us out and Johnson threw us back in. Thank you for your service to your country! You went so others didn't have to.

And still no response from Decius. Maybe he is even less verbose than I thought. So many answers yet none to direct questions.

Tanker, I have to admit to certain prejudice. I still question the CIA (black ops) in regard to 911? These and other valid questions have not been answered. Closed sessions do little more than promote deception under the cloak of National Security. Even though We in Florida have statues called Sunshine Laws. Any effort to truthfully access the action taken by government, has not been particularly effective in bring honesty to state government but we need to try to require integrity of those who are suppose to represent our interest. But such as the federal government does not requires such from either the electorial college or the state representatives, this is not a goal in politics.
Definition - politician: 1)one who is active in politics, esp. as a career. 2) a seeker or holder of public office. 3) a person who uses public office to advance personal or partisan interest. Do they serve the public (people) or do they serve themselves?
Peaceful solutions by nature should not require force to enforce? Funny thing when I got up this morning I was thinking about your response. I had been to the local mart when Bush admitted his lie and the cashier made a joke about it. Not understanding the comment as a joke, I replied 'yes but then it isn't unlawful to deceive the people'. Strange people got all self-righteous about Clinton's extra-marital affairs but think it is alright to lie to lead the people into war?